The Aporia · Oracle among AI firms forging ahead with Gulf expansion

Oracle among AI firms forging ahead with Gulf expansion

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Warner, K. (2026, October 30). Oracle among AI firms forging ahead with Gulf expansion. Semafor. https://www.semafor.com/article/10/30/2026/oracle-among-ai-firms-forging-ahead-with-gulf-expansion

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Quick Summary

US AI firms like Oracle and Scale AI are increasing their presence in Gulf countries despite heightened risks. Oracle intends to construct additional data centers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to growing demand, while Scale AI has opened an office in Dubai to collaborate with a G42 unit on AI development. Additionally, Snowflake plans to invest $300 million in Saudi Arabia by 2030 and is working with the communications ministry to train thousands of Saudis in cloud computing and AI. Despite security concerns that add up to 7% to construction costs, companies are willing to proceed with their expansion efforts.

Written by AI on 2026-10-31, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Oracle, a US artificial intelligence firm, is expanding its presence in the Gulf region by planning to build more data centers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to rising demand. Additionally, Scale AI, 49% owned by Meta, has opened an office at the Dubai International Financial Center and signed an agreement with a G42 unit to develop AI agents. In Saudi Arabia, Snowflake, another US-based company listed on New York's stock exchange, plans to invest $300 million through 2030, collaborating with local entities like Almarai and Red Sea Global. Despite increased risks to digital infrastructure due to potential conflict with Iran, these companies are forging ahead, indicating a willingness to absorb higher costs for security enhancements that can add up to 7% in expenses according to Bloomberg economist Ziad Daoud.

Written for “Oracle AI Expansion In Gulf” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

12%

1 of 8 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

59/100

Semafor's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Technology

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articles that frame the event the way this one does

Analyzed 2026-10-31 · how these are computed

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Semafor · 1402 article(s) · 3 correction(s) detected

Running correction rate · 3 correction(s)

2026-11-02

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Who wrote this

Kelsey Warner

17 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 In Saudi Arabia, New York-listed Snowflake projects it will invest $300 million in the kingdom through 2030; its customers there include dairy company Almarai and PIF-backed developer Red Sea Global.

2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Oracle among AI firms forging ahead with Gulf expansion

🔮 Still, as elsewhere, markets are not the economy: The IMF has forecast a 4.8% contraction in the Gulf’s GDP in 2026, but stocks haven’t plunged as much, suggesting stronger-than-expected corporate earnings have supported valuations. Within the relatively thin universe of equities, one name outshines all: Saudi Aramco accounted for about 72% of the combined earnings of Tadawul-listed companies in the first half of the year.

2026-10-30 · mixed framing · Oman stands out amongst Gulf markets weathering disruption

🔮 Its trade pact with Canada, signed Tuesday, is expected to boost exports to the emirates in aerospace, cereals, machinery, and vehicles.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Canada, UAE boost trade network under new deal

🔮 The partnership agreement would explore linking Churchill and its railway to DP World’s global network.

2026-10-27 · assertive framing · UAE and Canada strengthen ties amid potential DP World deal

🔮 Boston-based Whoop will study whether continuous monitoring and coaching can improve markers like cholesterol in adults with obesity and hypertension, both persistent public health challenges in the Gulf.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Abu Dhabi lures Eli Lilly, Oura, and Whoop in healthcare push

🔮 Whether they will bring their Netflix reality show cameras is another question, but The Oppenheim Group, known for Selling Sunset, pressed ahead with opening a new office in September.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · LA's 'Selling Sunset' real estate agency opens a Dubai office

🔮 The fund had expected to nearly double in size, boosted by an 85% expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) output by 2030.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Qatar’s wealth fund keeps spending as war slashes government revenue

🔮 Last month, the world’s most active sovereign wealth fund bought a minority stake in Luckin Coffee, which may bring the Chinese chain to Abu Dhabi.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Mubadala doubles down on Asia investments

🔮 A pilot in Egypt predicted a pump failure 45 days in advance, according to the firm’s chief technology officer.

2026-10-01 · assertive framing · AI firm AIQ pilots new tools for oil patch

🔮 The fund is an investor in the BlackRock-backed AI Infrastructure Partnership, which together with Australia’s IFM Investors is in exclusive talks for Stack Infrastructure’s Asia Pacific data centers, a portfolio expected to be valued at as much as $25 billion, Bloomberg reported.

2026-09-28 · assertive framing · MGX looks for data center assets in the Asia Pacific

Also by Kelsey Warner

Oman stands out amongst Gulf markets weathering disruption

2026-10-30 · Semafor

Canada, UAE boost trade network under new deal

2026-10-28 · Semafor

UAE and Canada strengthen ties amid potential DP World deal

2026-10-27 · Semafor

Abu Dhabi lures Eli Lilly, Oura, and Whoop in healthcare push

2026-10-22 · Semafor

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 17 articles by Kelsey Warner →

Topics

National Oracle Saudi Arabia Scale AI UAE

Subjects

Saudi Arabia GPE · 2× Almarai ORG · 1× G42 ORG · 1× Meta ORG · 1× National ORG · 1× New York GPE · 1× Oracle ORG · 1× Scale AI ORG · 1× Snowflake ORG · 1× UAE GPE · 1×

Narrative

And Scale AI, which is 49% owned by Meta and sells labeled data for model training, opened an office at the Dubai International Financial Center, following an agreement to work with a G42 unit to develop AI agents.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-31

2026-10-31 · Semafor

Oracle among AI firms forging ahead with Gulf expansion · assertive framing

Claims (8 extracted, 1 hedged)

US artificial intelligence firms are expanding in the Gulf, a sign that some companies are not shying away despite increased risks to digital infrastructure. asserted

companies → expand → infrastructure

Oracle plans to build more data centers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to meet rising demand, The National reported. asserted

National → plan → demand

which → own → agents

In Saudi Arabia, New York-listed Snowflake projects it will invest $300 million in the kingdom through 2030; its customers there include dairy company Almarai and PIF-backed developer Red Sea Global. asserted

customers → list → Almarai

Led by former Google Ads chief Sridhar Ramaswamy, it has plans for two more cloud computing regions and, with the communications ministry, AI training for thousands of Saudis. asserted

it → lead → Saudis

So far, data center construction has “barely moved the needle for Gulf economies,” according to Bloomberg economist Ziad Daoud. uncertain

construction → move → Daoud

The Iran war makes building that infrastructure pricier and riskier; he wrote that hardened security adds 5% to 7% to costs. asserted

security → make → costs

Still, it appears there is willingness to absorb the new premium. asserted

it → appear → premium